


Mother's Garden

by DarkJonerys



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Azula is Izumi's Mother, Brother/Sister Incest, F/M, Family Fluff, Mommy Issues, POV Azula (Avatar), Pregnancy, Zucest - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:00:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28799490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkJonerys/pseuds/DarkJonerys
Summary: The gardens have never been a safe space for Azula. Little did she know, life's greatest moments only happen near the turtleduck pond.
Relationships: Azula/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 116





	Mother's Garden

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully you enjoy my first dabble into Zucest :)

Azula held no affection for the palace gardens and the turtleduck pond Zuko loved so much. It was his sanctuary, a place where he went to be showered with their mother's love, but it was never hers. Still, he spoke fondly of his memories in the garden and promised her that they would make their own together as he bent down to ask for her hand in marriage. Azula said yes, to Iroh's skepticism and her mother's disgust, despite wishing he had picked anywhere else to propose.

Their wedding ceremony in the temple drew crowds of thousands to Coronation Plaza, each hoping to catch a glimpse of their monarchs. Several children were handpicked from the Royal Fire Nation Academy for girls to carry Azula's train, while Kiyi got the honor of being their official flower girl and little Bumi their ring bearer. It was, perhaps, the grandest affair the Fire Nation had in the last hundred years, yet their reception was a quaint party in the Royal Gardens with only Zuko's friends and their family. She felt like torching the foliage when the water peasant and the Avatar tried to make small talk with her, commenting on how lovely the fire lilies were this time of year as if she cared about the stupid garden...

Azula didn't realize, as the new Fire Lady, Zuko was entrusting his favorite place to her. The palace gardeners informed her that she had to approve all plans for renovation and upkeep, since they had always been a gift from the Fire Lord to his wife. She never gave it much thought before, so she let her mother continue to manage it for the most part. 

Zuko needed her to help him with his official documents and diplomatic paperwork more than he needed her to draw blueprints to redesign the garden anyways. She didn't care which flowers were planted in the flowerbeds, and it also kept her mother away from them for a time.

...

Even though she didn't feel any sentimentality towards the gardens, Azula often had to calm her jealous rage when she saw her mother and Kiyi happily feeding the turtleducks in her pond. Her mother would often muss the girl's hair and cuddle with her on the pond's edge like she used to do with Zuko. Though she tried to ignore it, an ache settled in her heart every time she saw them together. Azula couldn't remember a single moment in her childhood where her mother doted on her like that. 

It hurt more when Kiyi would wave and invite her to join them, typically going out of her way to do so. Kiyi meant well, but Azula always declined, knowing her mother's eyes showed poorly disguised fear. She wouldn't have been surprised if her mother now saw her as an evil seductress, who sank her claws in her precious baby boy, rather than just Ozai's monster who was going to harm her precious baby girl.

Her mother should be grateful that she was allowing her to utilize the space at all. It's not as if the woman ever saw the error of her ways and tried to fully rekindle their relationship to Zuko's chagrin. Although Azula supposed Ursa could have the stupid gardens, if she really wanted them that much. Her mother's discomfort never ceased to amuse her when Zuko would stop to kiss her on the covered walkways, unaware that Ursa could see them. Zuko often got too carried away, and it would make their mother's face burn in shame to know her darling boy was always the instigator.

Zuko loved the turtleduck pond and often tried to get Azula to spend time with him there. Sometimes, they would watch the sunset from the stone bench under the cherry blossom tree, hands entwined and Azula's head rested on his shoulder. Other times, Azula just watched Zuko feed the turtleducks and felt like she was intruding on his private time, but he always begged her to stay.

She knew it was his special place, but perhaps it could be theirs one day in the near future. Anxiety pooled in Azula's stomach every time she tried to tell him that Kiyi wouldn't be the only child that he could feed the turtleducks with soon.

"I'm pregnant, Zuzu," Azula blurted after watching him feed the small animals for awhile. She knew it would happen eventually; it was her duty to give Zuko an heir, but she didn't know that she would conceive so soon. She never expected Ursa to educate her about female reproduction, after she had married Zuko, but it would have helped them prepare for a child better if anyone had mentioned that family planning was possible. 

Zuko's head whipped around in surprise, looking straight to her stomach, and her heart fluttered anxiously. Perhaps, she should have waited until he was half asleep in their bedchambers to tell him.

He stood up and sat next to her, looking slightly confused, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, and it's a Firebender, if you were worried," Azula snapped. She had gone to see the Royal Physician, after having perpetual nausea and noticing that she couldn't remember the last time that she had her monthly courses. While she didn't know what was wrong with her, the physician quickly confirmed her pregnancy by detecting a second firebending chi.

"No, I-I, it's not that. I'm happy, truly Azula, I am," Zuko rambled with a dorky grin plastered on his face, "It's just, well, aren't you supposed to be bigger? You don't look pregnant."

Azula laughed in disbelief, as Zuko looked sheepish. _He was serious! Oh Agni, he was serious!_ "I'm not going to just blow up over night, Zuzu. It's only the size of a plum."

"Oh, a plum, huh?" Zuko laughed and poked her belly, "So when will you start waddling like a Mommy turtleduck?"

"I'm not going to waddle ever!" Azula swatted his hand away and rolled her eyes. She thought that he was probably too immature to be a father, but then she remembered the Avatar and his water peasant had two kids already.

"I think our turtleduckling will prove you wrong," Zuko joked and Azula huffed in annoyance.

Unfortunately, she was proven wrong in the ending stages of her pregnancy. Azula tried her best to walk normally around Zuko, so he wouldn't relentlessly tease her. He often would make her walk with him in the gardens, just to catch her off guard waddle.

"You know she likes the sun, 'Zula," He claimed to persuade her to come outside with him. She always did, but it was irritating.

"See? Look how happy she is," He would say when the baby kicked relentlessly, and Azula had to pace around the garden to maintain her sanity.

Of course the baby decided that she liked the sun too much, one day, deciding that it was the perfect time for her to finally make an appearance. Zuko was feeding the turtleducks, and when Azula finally recognized that she was having labor pains all day, her water broke.

Zuko had to carry her all the way up to their bedchambers, which was humiliating. However, she was unwilling to give birth next to the turtleduck pond if she could help it. She hated that stupid pond.

...

Little Princess Izumi liked to be pushed around in the baby carriage Toph metalbent and put together for her. Apparently, they were all the rage in the Earth Kingdoms, and it was much better than what Zuko's other friends had given them. Izumi wouldn't be using Sokka's pink boomerang anytime soon, and the condoms he gave to Zuko would have been more helpful before she got pregnant.

With the carriage, Azula almost didn't mind taking extended walks through the gardens and walkways to see Izumi coo happily at her from the covered basket. It was hard for her to know if she was being a good mother, but anything that made Izumi happy was a good sign that she was doing a decent job. 

Izumi's favorite feeding place was on the bench near the turtleduck pond. Azula would take off her slippers, letting her toes brush the grass, and lounge in a position where Izumi would feel comfortable enough to latch. Normally, it was peaceful, and no one bothered her, except when her mother and Kiyi wanted to feed the turtleducks.

"Why does 'Zumi do that, 'Zula?" Kiyi asked, peering over Izumi's blankets, after deciding to ignore her mother's advice to stay away from Azula when she was with the baby.

"She's eating," Azula frowned in annoyance as the child's eyes were firmly interested in watching Izumi nurse. She didn't get embarrassed about feeding the baby in public, but no one besides Zuko had ever watched her so fervently before, "It isn't nice to stare."

"But why is she sucking your‐" Kiyi was cut off by Ursa shouting her name.

"That's where the milk comes from when you have a baby," Azula sighed, hoping that the girl wouldn't ask again, as Ursa came up to them and awkwardly apologized for Kiyi's intrusion.

Of course, that wasn't the only occasion where Kiyi came up to her when she was spending time alone with Izumi. The girl also wanted to sit with them, usually asking a million questions about babies, many of which Azula didn't quite know herself. 

However, Kiyi proved to be a blessing when Azula was trying to wean Izumi completely. The girl pretended the spoon of mashed rice was a warship and zoomed it around until it reached Izumi's mouth. Azula didn't mind too much, as long as her daughter was eating.

It wasn't too many months later that Izumi started walking around, eating bits of bread meant for the turtleducks, and causing chaos in the gardens.

...

"Mama! Look, look!" Izumi squealed, running up to Azula. She opened up her hand, and a small flame flickered in the center of her palm, "I bended, Mama!"

Azula held out her arms, and Izumi crawled on her lap. Azula smiled in response to her daughter's excitement, "I knew it would be soon. The Fire Sages said that your spark is almost as bright as mine."

"I'm gonna be better than Daddy!" Izumi giggled, as Zuko walked up to see what they were doing.

"Yes, you will be a better Firebender than your father," Azula smirked and Zuko feigned hurt at her words.

"I'm a Firebender now, Daddy! Look!" Izumi shot out a few tiny bolts of flame to show him over Azula's head. Zuko clapped, and Izumi beamed in accomplishment.

Ursa would have chastised her for doing that as a child, but she didn't think there was anything wrong with Izumi being excited. Izumi's uncontrolled flame didn't scare her like it would have terrified Ursa; she knew there wasn't enough power behind it to do any harm.

Ozai wouldn't have taken her out of her mother's arms and twirled her around as if she was the most precious thing in the world like Zuko did with Izumi. He didn't stare at her, calculating how useful her newly found bending would be to their army. Instead, he put Izumi on his shoulders and galloped around like a deranged ostrich horse.

Azula smirked, wondering what Ozai would think of them now. (Though deep down she hoped that he would be pleased with her for having Izumi, if nothing else.)

"How does my turtleduckling want to celebrate?" Zuko asked, wincing as she played with the five flamed hair piece in his top knot.

"I wanna feed the turtleducks! Oh, and eat fire flakes!" Izumi squealed as Zuko gently lowered her to the ground. 

"Lead the way," Zuko smiled. "But no fire flakes until later."

Izumi skipped down the path, and Zuko followed, until Izumi abruptly stopped. She turned around and ran back to Azula, noticing her mother wasn't following them, "Come on Mama! We're gonna go feed the turtleducks!" Izumi tugged on her skirts, willing her to get up. 

Azula smiled to herself. Perhaps, she didn't quite hate the turtleduck pond, after all.


End file.
